Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar turned up the heat on highway officials Tuesday, demanding faster progress on critical infrastructure projects in the Guntur-Vijayawada corridor. At his camp office in Kolanukonda, the minister pressed National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) representatives for clear timelines and solutions to lingering bottlenecks that have slowed development.

Key facts

  • Meeting held September 1, 2026 at Minister's camp office in Kolanukonda, Guntur district
  • Focused on expediting two road overbridges at Kolanukonda and Suddapalli Donka
  • Discussed flyover proposal at Chinakakani on West Bypass
  • Reviewed Outer Ring Road proposals and pending reports to Centre

Bottlenecks in focus

The minister zeroed in on specific trouble spots that have frustrated commuters and hampered traffic flow. He sought detailed project reports for the proposed Chinakakani flyover, wanting concrete action plans and completion deadlines. The discussion also covered problems at Suddapalli Donka's road underbridge and drain outlet, issues at Venkata Palem toll plaza, and safety measures needed at the accident-prone Pedakakani Y-junction.

Urgent timelines set

Dr. Chandra Sekhar made no secret of his dissatisfaction with the pace of work on the two road overbridges currently under construction. He directed officials to accelerate progress immediately. For other pending matters, including pipeline approvals under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme, he gave a strict two-week deadline for comprehensive reports.

Officials on notice

The meeting brought together key NHAI personnel including Regional Officer G. Hari Krishna, Project Director Vikas Surjewala, and Technical Manager B. Venkateswarlu from the Amaravati project implementation unit. Their challenge is clear: translate the minister's urgency into visible progress on the ground.